Creating a tropical escape at home is fun, it’s exciting, and it simply refreshes you. But you want to be sure that as you progress from one step to the next, that at the end, you arrive exactly where you want to be. This can be difficult to achieve if you think you have things mapped out in your mind and you just jump in and get started. While most anything you do along the way can be reversed and corrected, why bother with that if you don’t have to? That can be very time-consuming and expensive. And it is very frustrating because no one likes to run into road blocks or discover that after spending a lot of time and money, that you don’t like the result. So before you start anything, stop for a few minutes. Slow down and take several deep breaths. Breathe. Relax. Imagine. Now you are ready to start planning.

Write down every idea and every question that comes to mind. There doesn’t have to be any particular order to this, just do a brain dump on paper. Then take a break. Come back later and read through everything you wrote down. Make changes where needed and then keep writing. When you finally have captured everything that you know will create your desired end result, that’s when you are ready to begin. So grab that pen and some paper and read on!

The Details: What To Consider Before You Begin

We truly believe that most people would love to have a tranquil getaway space at home, a soothing and relaxing place to simply unwind.  As our vision statement says, we want to bring the authentic beauty of the tropics to people who dream of getting away from the daily grind. We want to help people create amazingly beautiful, peaceful, and relaxing personal spaces with products that are handmade, that are unique and genuine, and that have real value.

Creating a tropical space should be fun. It should be exciting and most of all, it should allow you to immerse yourself in its colorful looks, its tropical feel and its cultural aspects which will affect your personal well-being in a completely positive way. So while we would love to be able to create this amazing ocean view for you, we need to pull you indoors because we have some questions for you to consider. Let’s focus for a bit!

Photo Credit: Brabbu.com

Some Questions To Consider

To help you gain some clarity, we have pulled some questions together for you to think about which can help you to visualize what your perfect home getaway might look like. Spend some time on these, there is no hurry!

• Do you enjoy the idea of creating a tropical getaway at home, that special place that is just for you to reclaim some peace and relaxation? If so, what is it that you enjoy about it the most?

• What are your frustrations and/or concerns about creating that space?

• Have you found any solutions to ease those frustrations and concerns?

• When looking for tropical ideas and items, where are you currently looking? What is the biggest problem you are encountering?

In some of the feedback we have received about our site, a reader asked us this question: “If I can’t get away to a place like the South Pacific, how are you going to help me feel like I am there?” That question addresses the core of what we do. While we cannot provide white sandy beaches and swaying palm trees, we can provide awesome ideas and inspiration along with very important furnishings and accent pieces, both in our store and from other sources, which will help you to feel like you are in the tropics.

These pieces are important because they are way more than just souvenirs which many people purchase while traveling in an attempt to bring home something that will remind them of where they were. These are pieces you would buy to recreate as much as possible that awesome place you visited so you can enjoy that wonderful relaxation again. So when people want to do whatever they can to relive those experiences at home, that is where we come in. We help to make the tropics feel as real as possible, at home. It is our hope that we can provide much-needed inspiration as you breathe, relax, and imagine!

So having said that, here is an example of how well-chosen pieces can help to create a stunning tropical space.

Photo Credit: HomeBNC

That question from our reader above allows us to ask that reader and you in return, the following:

• Why did you choose that particular piece?

• If you could buy more than one piece while traveling, what would it be and why?

• When you get home, where would you put those pieces?

• Would you want to do anything more with the location of those pieces? In that same space, is there anything else you would do to continue to build on the look of those pieces?

• Would you consider additional pieces which would help to create a new overall look for that space?

• After returning home, how would go about finding those additional pieces? Would you prefer to have a “go to” person or a store where you could find them?

• Would you prefer a website which features multiple artisan-made and handcrafted product offerings from a wide range of tropical and coastal locations?

• Should that website also provide suggestions and design tips that help you to creative a unified and cohesive space?
• Would that space, which results in that sought-after atmosphere of peace and relaxation found only in the tropics, be a solution for you?

These are a lot of questions to read through and to think about, we know. But they are so important. Whether you are only looking for a few unique pieces or you are looking at re-doing an entire space, you are spending your time and your hard-earned money. So you want the best results possible.

When you have the answers to these questions, you most definitely need a place to go where you can find the expertise, the uniqueness, and the value that you deserve. We can provide the authenticity, the advice, and the value that is required for the creation of truly meaningful and personal getaway spaces.

Photo Credit: onekindesign.com

Say “No!” To The Cheap And The Ordinary

We really have to emphasize how important it is to stay away from anything that is low quality and cheaply made because those things provide no real value. They also do not convey anything of value about a particular country or culture. We make no apologies when we say that cheap, mass-produced, tropical-looking things that are made in China or anywhere else are simply worthless and will not add authenticity to your space. And there is A LOT of that out there.

To be fair, there are many great products out there that are factory-made which are very high quality and which are very effective when creating tropical spaces. Those will stand the test of time. What we are talking about here are things that look tropical which are cranked out by the thousands in a factory somewhere which can easily end up in the garbage. These are the things that you will see right through in no time and will find that they do not provide that true, deep sense of the tropics because they are simply not real.

Nothing brings out that genuine, uplifting, emotional feeling of escape and that true sense of calm like authentic decor which is handmade. Combined with other high quality pieces and used in the right number with the right combination of colors, fabrics, florals, and plants, you can create a tropical escape in your own home that is very real and very authentic!

Others can be more rich and full yet cozy and relaxing.

Photo Credit: Decoist

Some looks can fall right in the middle.

Photo Credit: Coastal Collective Co. 

Sometimes you might have a great look that is already pulled together but find that it needs a touch of something to tone down a particular feeling (in this case industrial/rustic). A few plants simply do the trick as they can add that tranquil touch.

Photo Credit: ACM Interiors

Find Your Starting Point!

As you can see, there are hundreds of different variations in tropical home décor and no one particular look is suited for everyone. You have total control in creating the look you want for the space you have. That one really cool piece that you might have already purchased from a past trip could be the very inspiration you need to start creating an amazing new space! And it is already in your home!

Many people have a hard time visualizing what they want. They know they want something tropical in a favorite space that can mentally transport them to a place of rest, peace and relaxation. But they just don’t know how to get there or where to start. Hopefully this guide has given you some ideas about where to start! You can pick a starting point and just go from there. We are doing our best to provide you with the inspiration, the ideas and of course the products that will help you to create your special place. Here is an idea for a simple seashore-inspired dining room. We love that strong pop of color on the wall with the sea turtle!

Photo Credit: elephantstock.com

Final Thoughts

Planning for your tropical retreat at home takes time and patience. This is something you definitely do not want to rush through. Carefully consider each step from all angles.

We are continually searching for new ideas and products which will help to reduce the number of searches you need to do to find the right pieces. Our selections in wood, glass and metal offer some very strong accent pieces which can help to set the tone of a space. Many of them can be ordered in larger sizes which can anchor a room or be the centerpiece around which you build a completed look. So be sure to check out our store as often as you can because product availability does change.

We know how important it is, especially now in these expensive and politically charged times, to have a place to call your own, to escape from the rest of the world for just a bit, and to recharge and re-energize! So we encourage you to go online, do some simple searches, bookmark some great sites and write down some notes which will help you to create a mental layout of what you envision. At Cerulean Bay, we always say, “Breathe. Relax. Imagine.” It really works!

As always, we wish you a whole lot of peace, happiness, and health. Imagine those far off lands that are full of inspiration and start creating your personal getaway space at home!

Photo Credits: Kayon Jungle Resort, Ubud Bali, Indonesia